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No More Mindless Runbys
Below are the ten newest releases from Big "E" Productions in both DVD-R and VHS format.

CSX "S" and "A" Lines in North-Central Florida

This program shows over twenty-four hours of action on both of CSX’s main lines from Jacksonville to Tampa and Miami in north-central Florida in October of 2011. These lines are better known as the “S” and “A” Lines, referring to their Seaboard Airline and Atlantic Coast Line ancestry respectively. Both lines are in for big changes in the next two years as the State just purchased sixty-one miles of the “A” Line around Orlando for use as a commuter line. Several CSX trains will be transferred to the “S” Line and additional capacity will be added. Both lines are mostly single-track, high-speed, high capacity lines with long sidings about ten miles apart and centralized traffic control. Six Amtrak trains also run on this part of the “A” Line.   With housing starts and construction way down, this program shows how CSX is coping with the great recession, and as you will see, traffic on these lines has held up fairly well.  CSX "S" and "A" Lines in North-Central Florida is 76 minutes in length.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $30.95

CSX "S" and "A" Lines in North-Central Florida DVD

This program shows over twenty-four hours of action on both of CSX’s main lines from Jacksonville to Tampa and Miami in north-central Florida in October of 2011. These lines are better known as the “S” and “A” Lines, referring to their Seaboard Airline and Atlantic Coast Line ancestry respectively. Both lines are in for big changes in the next two years as the State just purchased sixty-one miles of the “A” Line around Orlando for use as a commuter line. Several CSX trains will be transferred to the “S” Line and additional capacity will be added. Both lines are mostly single-track, high-speed, high capacity lines with long sidings about ten miles apart and centralized traffic control. Six Amtrak trains also run on this part of the “A” Line.   With housing starts and construction way down, this program shows how CSX is coping with the great recession, and as you will see, traffic on these lines has held up fairly well.  CSX "S" and "A" Lines in North-Central Florida is 76 minutes in length.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $30.95

Attributes

  • Video Format: DVD

The FEC North End in 2011

Over the past five decades the Florida East Coast Railway has had a most fascinating ride as it went from a railroad that had never paid a dividend, to one of the most profitable, and for many years the fastest growing rail line in North America. FEC’s trains today have an incredible mix of truckers’ containers and trailers on them. To its historian, the FEC of the last 50 years has been America’s greatest railroad – a maverick who went its own way and developed many of the operating practices now common on all railroads today. However labor groups fifty years ago held a contrarian view. The great recession still grips most of Florida with housing starts and construction way down from the level of five or so years ago. This video shows how this dynamic and once controversial little railroad is faring in the fall of 2011 on the north end of its system. As you will see, the Florida East Coast, currently owned by the Fortress Investment Group who also owns short line conglomerate Rail America, has fought back with fewer but longer trains and maintained its profitability.  The FEC North End in 2011 is 49 minutes in length.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $28.95

The FEC North End in 2011 DVD

Over the past five decades the Florida East Coast Railway has had a most fascinating ride as it went from a railroad that had never paid a dividend, to one of the most profitable, and for many years the fastest growing rail line in North America. FEC’s trains today have an incredible mix of truckers’ containers and trailers on them. To its historian, the FEC of the last 50 years has been America’s greatest railroad – a maverick who went its own way and developed many of the operating practices now common on all railroads today. However labor groups fifty years ago held a contrarian view. The great recession still grips most of Florida with housing starts and construction way down from the level of five or so years ago. This video shows how this dynamic and once controversial little railroad is faring in the fall of 2011 on the north end of its system. As you will see, the Florida East Coast, currently owned by the Fortress Investment Group who also owns short line conglomerate Rail America, has fought back with fewer but longer trains and maintained its profitability.  The FEC North End in 2011 is 49 minutes in length.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $28.95

Attributes

  • Video Format: DVD

CP River Line south of Winona, MN

This program shows the trains and operations for over twenty-four hours on the historic, former Milwaukee Road main line now owned by Canadian Pacific along the Mississippi River railroad east but geographically south of Winona, Minnesota in May of 2011. Once the double track main line of the Milwaukee Road and the route of the Hiawathas, this line fell on hard times in the 1970s. Rescued by the CP owned Soo Line, this line today, known as CP’s River Subdivision and part of their Chicago to Twin cities main, is in excellent condition and carries more trains today than anytime since at least World War II, thanks to increasing numbers of unit trains of agricultural products, fertilizer, coal, and coke from the northern plains and from Canada. “CP River Line south of Winona, MN” is 81 minutes in length and sells for $32.95 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $32.95

CP River Line south of Winona, MN DVD

This program shows the trains and operations for over twenty-four hours on the historic, former Milwaukee Road main line now owned by Canadian Pacific along the Mississippi River railroad east but geographically south of Winona, Minnesota in May of 2011. Once the double track main line of the Milwaukee Road and the route of the Hiawathas, this line fell on hard times in the 1970s. Rescued by the CP owned Soo Line, this line today, known as CP’s River Subdivision and part of their Chicago to Twin cities main, is in excellent condition and carries more trains today than anytime since at least World War II, thanks to increasing numbers of unit trains of agricultural products, fertilizer, coal, and coke from the northern plains and from Canada. “CP River Line south of Winona, MN” is 81 minutes in length and sells for $32.95 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $32.95

Attributes

  • Video Format: DVD

NS and KCS around Mexico, Missouri

The small town of Mexico in northern Missouri, not quite half way between St. Louis and Kansas City, is a neat railroad center with two class I railroads running next to each other through the center of town. Between Mexico and Centralia, a distance of 14 miles, Norfolk Southern’s St. Louis District between St. Louis to Moberly, and Kansas City Southern’s line between St. Louis and Kansas City run side by side. Once main lines of the Wabash and Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio, respectively, and home to Union Pacific’s City Streamliners, these tracks have seen many changes and several owners over the decades. This program shows three days and one night of action on the NS and KCS lines around Mexico, Missouri, including the unique Schneider National trains on KCS, in June of 2011. “NS and KCS around Mexico, Missouri” is 61 minutes in length and sells for $30.95 plus $5.00 for S&H.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $30.95

NS and KCS around Mexico, Missouri DVD

The small town of Mexico in northern Missouri, not quite half way between St. Louis and Kansas City, is a neat railroad center with two class I railroads running next to each other through the center of town. Between Mexico and Centralia, a distance of 14 miles, Norfolk Southern’s St. Louis District between St. Louis to Moberly, and Kansas City Southern’s line between St. Louis and Kansas City run side by side. Once main lines of the Wabash and Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio, respectively, and home to Union Pacific’s City Streamliners, these tracks have seen many changes and several owners over the decades. This program shows three days and one night of action on the NS and KCS lines around Mexico, Missouri, including the unique Schneider National trains on KCS, in June of 2011. “NS and KCS around Mexico, Missouri” is 61 minutes in length and sells for $30.95 plus $5.00 for S&H.  This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.

Price: $30.95

Attributes

  • Video Format: DVD

UP Spine Line south of Des Moines

Thrown adrift after the Rock Island went out of business in March of 1980, the Rock Island’s 429 mile long Twin Cities to Kansas City line known as the Spine Line was first leased and then acquired by the Chicago & North Western in 1983. Today this line is owned and operated by Union Pacific. UP calls the track between Des Moines and Sheffield, just outside of Kansas City where trains get onto the Kansas City Terminal, their Trenton Subdivision. UP uses this line in conjunction with the former Missouri Pacific Falls City Subdivision along the Missouri River between Omaha and Kansas City in a modified directional running operation. Most of the heavier southbounds use the Trenton Sub while most northbounds use the Falls City Sub. This program shows the trains and operations including a couple of DM&E trains on UP’s Spine Line between Allerton, south of Des Moines and the UP – Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern joint track north of Kansas City for three days and one night in June of 2011. “UP Spine Line south of Des Moines” is 59 minutes in length and sells for $30.95 plus $5 for S&H.  This DVD can be watched with or without narration.

Price: $30.95

UP Spine Line south of Des Moines DVD

Thrown adrift after the Rock Island went out of business in March of 1980, the Rock Island’s 429 mile long Twin Cities to Kansas City line known as the Spine Line was first leased and then acquired by the Chicago & North Western in 1983. Today this line is owned and operated by Union Pacific. UP calls the track between Des Moines and Sheffield, just outside of Kansas City where trains get onto the Kansas City Terminal, their Trenton Subdivision. UP uses this line in conjunction with the former Missouri Pacific Falls City Subdivision along the Missouri River between Omaha and Kansas City in a modified directional running operation. Most of the heavier southbounds use the Trenton Sub while most northbounds use the Falls City Sub. This program shows the trains and operations including a couple of DM&E trains on UP’s Spine Line between Allerton, south of Des Moines and the UP – Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern joint track north of Kansas City for three days and one night in June of 2011. “UP Spine Line south of Des Moines” is 59 minutes in length and sells for $30.95 plus $5 for S&H.  This DVD can be watched with or without narration.

Price: $30.95

Attributes

  • Video Format: DVD

 

                                                       Big “E” Productions

P.O. BOX 75

GREENLAND, NH 03840

Our DVDs show the whole train!

Our web page is at www.trainvideos.com, email us at bigeee@trainvideos.com.

 800-832-1228 or 603-430-3055   Visa, MasterCard, AMEX or Discover Card Orders Accepted.

Last updated 12/14/2023

 

Frequency – twice a year

 

 Issue #179                            December, 2023

May all of you have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

Remember, our DVDs make great Christmas gifts for the railfan in your family.  This Newsletter begins our 32th year of selling train videos.  As long as both my wife and I are in good health we intend to continue selling old videos and I still have some hope to do a few new programs. We will not be attending the Big Train Show in West Springfield, Massachusetts anymore.

 

Again no new programs.  I was recently diagnosed with AFib (atrial fibrillation – fast, erratic heartbeat).  Medication seems to help but it will be some time before I know how much.  Also both knees need to be replaced but it will also be some time before that can happen.  My wife is still recovering from having both knees replaced.  She is using a wheelchair and walker to get around.  I would still like to do more videotaping but this is looking less and less likely.  We hope that all of you are safe and sound.  Our next newsletter will be around June of 2024.  Railfan Depot in Indianapolis is now carrying some of our videos.

 

We have four grandkids playing sports right now – two here in New Hampshire and two in Illinois.  I hope to be able to see their games in person as much as I can.  And then we have 12 other grandkids and one great grandson to keep track of.  I am looking forward to attending the girls state basketball tournament in Illinois beginning in 2025 and the class IV boys baseball tournament here in New Hampshire next spring.

 

No other train video producer shows and explains railroading like we do and our catalogue includes programs on fallen flags ATSF, SP, BN, CNW,  IC, Wisconsin Central, and Conrail.  We almost always show the whole train and most of our videos show all of the action – day and night.  Our newest program is “PSR on CSX’s Chicago Line in Northern Indiana”, part of our look at PSR on eastern railroads.  This is our 49th program to be released in both Blu-ray and in regular DVD.  You need to specify what type of DVD you are ordering with programs available in both DVD and Blu-ray.  All of our DVD’s have chapters and menus and around half – everything videotaped from 2004 on plus a few programs from 2003 - have a choice of being watched with narration and without narration by using the menu or audio and language buttons on your DVD player controller.  321 programs are available in DVD (49 in Blu-ray) and all are listed in the flyers.  No other train video producer shows and explains railroading like we do and our catalogue includes programs on fallen flags ATSF, BN, SP, CNW. IC, Wisconsin Central, and Conrail.  Our shipping and handling charge on orders remains $5.00 with no charge on orders over $100.  We offer year-round discounts on large orders.  See flyers for details.  These discounts are available only by mail and phone.  If you have questions and get our answering machine, please leave your name and number and we will call you back as soon as possible.  You can reach us by email at bigeee@trainvideos.com or on our webpage at www.trainvideos.com.

 

If we are able to videotape again, the focus will be on changes on the western railroads due to PSR.

 

                                              Dick and Barb Eisfeller